# CTRP12 in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases: current status and future perspective **Authors:** Huan Wan, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Xiao-Hua Yu, Dan-Ni Liu, Ji Min, Jin Zou PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1749963 · Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine · 2026-02-04 ## TL;DR This review explores CTRP12, a protein linked to heart and metabolic diseases, and its potential as a target for prevention and treatment. ## Contribution The paper provides a comprehensive overview of CTRP12's role in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. ## Key findings - CTRP12 is involved in inflammation, glucose regulation, and lipid metabolism. - Dysregulation of CTRP12 is linked to diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart failure. - Targeting CTRP12 may offer therapeutic benefits for cardiovascular and metabolic conditions. ## Abstract Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases severely threat human health with their management being a global challenge. C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 12 (CTRP12), a newly identified adipokine and paralog of adiponectin, is expressed predominantly by adipose tissue. As a secretory protein, full-length CTRP12 can be cleaved by furin to produce a globular isoform, which is the major form in the blood stream. CTRP12 has anti-inflammatory and glucose-lowering properties and also participates in the regulation of lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. Dysregulation of CTRP12 has been shown be involved in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, diabetes, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Thus, targeting CTRP12 may have important implications in preventing and treating cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. To provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of CTRP12 in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, this review delved into the structural characteristics and biological functions with an emphasis on its link to several major cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. ## Linked entities - **Genes:** C1QTNF12 (C1q and TNF related 12) [NCBI Gene 388581] - **Proteins:** C1QTNF12 (C1q and TNF related 12), FURIN (furin, paired basic amino acid cleaving enzyme) - **Diseases:** coronary artery disease (MONDO:0005010), heart failure (MONDO:0005252), diabetes (MONDO:0005015), obesity (MONDO:0011122), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (MONDO:0013209) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** Il6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 16193] {aka Il-6}, ADIPOQ (adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing) [NCBI Gene 9370] {aka ACDC, ACRP30, ADIPQTL1, ADPN, APM-1, APM1}, Map3k7 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7) [NCBI Gene 26409] {aka B430101B05, Tak1}, NR1H3 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group H member 3) [NCBI Gene 10062] {aka LXR-a, LXRA, RLD-1}, Irs1 (insulin receptor substrate 1) [NCBI Gene 16367] {aka G972R, IRS-1}, Klf3 (Kruppel-like transcription factor 3 (basic)) [NCBI Gene 16599] {aka 9930027G08Rik, Bklf, Tef-2}, APLN (apelin) [NCBI Gene 8862] {aka APEL, XNPEP2}, Bax (BCL2 associated X, apoptosis regulator) [NCBI Gene 24887], Map3k7 (mitogen activated protein kinase kinase kinase 7) [NCBI Gene 313121] {aka Tak1}, Dgat1 (diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1) [NCBI Gene 13350] {aka ARAT, D15Ertd23e, Dgat}, CDH13 (cadherin 13) [NCBI Gene 1012] {aka CDHH, P105}, Tgfbr2 (transforming growth factor, beta receptor II) [NCBI Gene 21813] {aka 1110020H15Rik, DNIIR, RIIDN, TBR-II, TbetaR-II, TbetaRII}, Smad2 (SMAD family member 2) [NCBI Gene 17126] {aka 7120426M23Rik, Madh2, Madr2, Smad-2, mMad2}, C1QTNF3 (C1q and TNF related 3) [NCBI Gene 114899] {aka C1ATNF3, CORCS, CORS, CORS-26, CORS26, CTRP3}, Lep (leptin) [NCBI Gene 16846] {aka ob, obese}, C1QA (complement C1q A chain) [NCBI Gene 712] {aka C1QD1}, C1QTNF1 (C1q and TNF related 1) [NCBI Gene 114897] {aka CTRP1, GIP, ZSIG37}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, C1QTNF12 (C1q and TNF related 12) [NCBI Gene 388581] {aka C1QDC2, CTRP12, FAM132A}, Klf15 (KLF transcription factor 15) [NCBI Gene 85497], CCL2 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) [NCBI Gene 6347] {aka GDCF-2, HC11, HSMCR30, MCAF, MCP-1, MCP1}, Adipoq (adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing) [NCBI Gene 11450] {aka 30kDa, APN, Acdc, Acrp30, Ad, Adid}, INS (insulin) [NCBI Gene 3630] {aka IDDM, IDDM1, IDDM2, ILPR, IRDN, MODY10}, IL10 (interleukin 10) [NCBI Gene 3586] {aka CSIF, GVHDS, IL-10, IL10A, TGIF}, Mapk8 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 8) [NCBI Gene 116554] {aka JNK}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, FURIN (furin, paired basic amino acid cleaving enzyme) [NCBI Gene 5045] {aka FUR, PACE, PCSK3, SPC1}, Ccl2 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) [NCBI Gene 20296] {aka HC11, JE, MCAF, MCP-1, MCP1, SMC-CF}, Abca1 (ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A member 1) [NCBI Gene 11303] {aka ABC-1, Abc1}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, Nfe2l2 (nuclear factor, erythroid derived 2, like 2) [NCBI Gene 18024] {aka Nrf2}, Mapk14 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 14) [NCBI Gene 26416] {aka CSBP2, Crk1, Csbp1, Mxi2, PRKM14, PRKM15}, Hnf4a (hepatic nuclear factor 4, alpha) [NCBI Gene 15378] {aka HNF-4, Hnf4, Hnf4alpha, MODY1, Nr2a1, TCF-14}, C1QTNF9 (C1q and TNF related 9) [NCBI Gene 338872] {aka AQL1, C1QTNF9A, CTRP9}, Mapk8 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 8) [NCBI Gene 26419] {aka JNK, JNK1, Prkm8, SAPK1}, Nfe2l2 (NFE2 like bZIP transcription factor 2) [NCBI Gene 83619], Adipoq (adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing) [NCBI Gene 246253] {aka Acdc, Acrp30, Adid}, Mttp (microsomal triglyceride transfer protein) [NCBI Gene 17777] {aka 1810043K16Rik, MTP}, Tbxa2r (thromboxane A2 receptor) [NCBI Gene 21390] {aka TP, TXA2-R}, ADIPOR2 (adiponectin receptor 2) [NCBI Gene 79602] {aka ACDCR2, PAQR2}, SREBF2 (sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2) [NCBI Gene 6721] {aka SREBP-2, SREBP2, bHLHd2}, KLF15 (KLF transcription factor 15) [NCBI Gene 28999] {aka KKLF}, Gpam (glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, mitochondrial) [NCBI Gene 14732] {aka GPAT, GPAT-1, GPAT1, P90}, Akt1 (Akt serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 11651] {aka Akt, LTR-akt, PKB, PKB/Akt, PKBalpha, Rac}, Abcg1 (ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 1) [NCBI Gene 11307] {aka Abc8, White}, C1qtnf12 (C1q and tumor necrosis factor related 12) [NCBI Gene 67389] {aka 1110035L05Rik, C1qdc2, CTRP12, Fam132a, alipolin}, Tbxas1 (thromboxane A synthase 1, platelet) [NCBI Gene 21391] {aka CYP5, CYP5A1, THAS, TS, TXAS, TXS}, ERFE (erythroferrone) [NCBI Gene 151176] {aka C1QTNF15, CTRP15, FAM132B}, Nr1h3 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group H, member 3) [NCBI Gene 22259] {aka LXR, RLD1, Unr1}, C1qtnf9 (C1q and tumor necrosis factor related protein 9) [NCBI Gene 239126] {aka 9130217G22Rik, Adif1, CTRP9, Ciqtnf9}, ALB (albumin) [NCBI Gene 213] {aka FDAHT, HSA, PRO0883, PRO0903, PRO1341}, ADIPOR1 (adiponectin receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 51094] {aka ACDCR1, CGI-45, CGI45, PAQR1, TESBP1A}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase) [NCBI Gene 10135] {aka 1110035O14Rik, PBEF, PBEF1, VF, VISFATIN}, HMGCR (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase) [NCBI Gene 3156] {aka LDLCQ3, LGMDR28, MYPLG}, Klf15 (Kruppel-like transcription factor 15) [NCBI Gene 66277] {aka 1810013I09Rik, CKLF, KKLF, hlb444}, Tnf (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 21926] {aka DIF, TNF-a, TNF-alpha, TNFSF2, TNFalpha, Tnfa} - **Diseases:** hypoxia (MESH:D000860), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (MESH:D050031), Metabolic diseases (MESH:D008659), sudden cardiac death (MESH:D016757), overweight (MESH:D050177), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (MESH:D029424), Obesity (MESH:D009765), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (MESH:D005235), gestational diabetes mellitus (MESH:D016640), weight gain (MESH:D015430), steatosis (MESH:D005234), stable angina (MESH:D060050), calcification (MESH:D002114), vascular diseases (MESH:D014652), Diabetes (MESH:D003920), NAFLD (MESH:D065626), cardiomyocyte impairment (MESH:D060825), ACS (MESH:D054058), cardiometabolic disorders (MESH:D024821), cardiac fibrosis (MESH:D005355), iron overload (MESH:D019190), Inflammatory (MESH:D007249), liver disease (MESH:D008107), injury of the femoral artery (MESH:D005264), unstable angina (MESH:D000789), glucose intolerance (MESH:D018149), hepatoma (MESH:D006528), fatty streak lesions (MESH:D058226), Diabetic nephropathy (MESH:D003928), heart diseases (MESH:D006331), CAD (MESH:D003324), Cardiac remodelling (MESH:D020257), cardiac hypertrophy (MESH:D006332), renal dysfunction (MESH:D007674), adiposity (MESH:D018205), Heart failure (MESH:D006333), type 2 diabetes (MESH:D003924), peripheral arterial disease (MESH:D058729), Insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), cerebrovascular disease (MESH:D002561), vascular injury (MESH:D057772), myocardial ischemia (MESH:D017202), myocardial hypertrophy (MESH:D006984), CVDs (MESH:D002318), Myocardial infarction (MESH:D009203), Atherosclerosis (MESH:D050197), lipid metabolism disorder (MESH:D052439), endometrial cancer (MESH:D016889), Polycystic ovary syndrome (MESH:D011085), Hypertension (MESH:D006973) - **Chemicals:** blood glucose (MESH:D001786), cholesterol (MESH:D002784), TXA2 (MESH:D013928), arachidonic acid (MESH:D016718), Metformin (MESH:D008687), phospholipids (MESH:D010743), triglyceride (MESH:D014280), uric acid (MESH:D014527), fat (MESH:D005223), ROS (MESH:D017382), Glucose (MESH:D005947), alcohol (MESH:D000438), Lipid (MESH:D008055), Cys (MESH:D003545), LPS (MESH:D008070), isoproterenol (MESH:D007545), fatty acids (MESH:D005227), malondialdehyde (MESH:D008315), rosiglitazone (MESH:D000077154), eicosanoid (MESH:D015777), blood lipid (-) - **Species:** Canis lupus familiaris (dog, subspecies) [taxon 9615], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090], Spinacia oleracea (spinach, species) [taxon 3562], Gallus gallus (bantam, species) [taxon 9031], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116] - **Cell lines:** H9c2 — Rattus norvegicus (Rat), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_0286), VSMC — Homo sapiens (Human), Finite cell line (CVCL_4009), ob — Mus musculus (Mouse), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_S603) ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913486/full.md ## Figures 4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913486/full.md ## References 127 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913486/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913486